Expert: Bonnie Shimmin - 2/22/2010

Question
Hi,
My name is Anna and I have a question about informal formative assessment, My question is, what can informal formative assessment(s) do for the students and as well for the teacher? Another way of putting this question is what are the benefits or if there are disadvantage(s) in  informal formative assessments? Can you give me any ideas on how I can enhance my toolbox of informal formative assessment(s) strategies?
I would appreciate if you can help me if anyway.
Thank you for reading my question.
Anna

Answer
Dear Anna,

I've been asked this question many times recently, and the writers always wanted the answers to be private.  But since there is no personal information in the question, I think I'll change it to public and maybe I won't have to keep answering it.  It is a very important question and I can see why you would ask this.

I assume you are talking about classroom level assessments and not required state assessments.  Both are necessary, but for very different reasons.  

Classroom assessments are a road map for the teacher and students to see what was learned and what still needs to be learned.  Looking at assessment data is a way for teachers to make classroom learning groups, so that students who need the same kinds of instruction can be grouped intelligently.  These groups should never be set in stone because kids can be good at some lessons and not at others.  These kinds of assessments are called formative.  They tell you what's going on as the year (or unit) progresses.  I think these are the most important ones because they are positive in that they tell you, the teacher, what still needs to be done.

Summative Assessments are the tests you give at the end, to see what students have learned.  Although teachers generally use these for grading their students, the data also give insight into a teaching program.  One question I always asked in teacher interviews was:  "What does it mean when everyone or most students fail a test?"  The teachers who said, "It means I didn't teach what was needed to pass the test," always got more points from me.  In addition, it could mean that the test was not adequate or a fair measure of what was taught in class.  

As to adding to your toolbox:  1)  Make sure the assessment really tests what you've taught.  Take the test yourself just to be sure.  Don't assume wider knowledge than was presented.  If you want to make the test appropriate for advanced students, make their questions optional for everyone else.  2)  If the whole class bombs out on the test, don't count it toward their grade.  It was really your issue, not theirs.  3)  A lot of times I'd put a question that could be answered with a design or picture, just to make things interesting.  It could be extra credit, so no one gets too worried about not being able to draw or think pictorially.  

I hope this helps to answer your question.

Bonnie